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On the C.L.: When Was The Last Time You Felt Grateful? Here’s What Did it For Me

Glamour gets a lot of mail: like, thousands of letters, piles up to the ceiling, kind of mail. We really do read every single e-mail and letter that readers send in, and once in a while we get a letter that makes me choke up and thank the heavens for humanity. This month that letter came from a 59-year-old Navy vet in Philadelphia. A guy, actually. Here's how it started:

I'd written my editor's letter last month about the number of female soldiers who have written to Glamour since the Iraq war started in 2003 (maybe now would be a good time to mention that I'm the editor-in-chief of Glamour. Hi!). Many were in search of makeovers, complaining that the dust, danger and relentless stress had them feeling less than female. (Yes, I know. It seems like there'd be much more serious problems facing servicewomen than a dearth of mascara. But you know what? They're soldiers. If feeling pretty is what they want, they're entitled. I'd want it too!) We happily treated several to the full fashion and beauty treatment, and saluted all the other troops who continue to serve so bravely.

Here's one of the letters we got in response...

Dear Ms. Leive:

My heart went out to the women of Courage is Beautiful. As a Navy medic with the US Marines in Viet Nam in 1970, I would sometimes spend 30 days in the "bush" on patrols, sleeping on the ground, no showers, wearing the same set of fatigues, etc. Besides the hazards of war like landmines and sniper fire and mosquito bites, during these 30 day periods I hated my dirty uniform, hated being sweaty and hot; the anticipation of someday again wearing civilian clothes got me through some difficult times. Nearly 40 years after leaving 'Nam, I still very much anticipate and appreciate wearing civilian clothes--as I prepare to leave to go to work and drop this letter in the mailbox, I'm wearing a blue cotton shirt, blue & white Ralph Lauren seersucker jacket, white pants and a blue knitted cotton tie.

Enclosed please find a check for $105 to be used for gift subscriptions to Glamour for seven service member women serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, to help them anticipate the time when they'll be wearing heels instead of combat boots. Thank you.

I was so touched by his letter. How could you not be? (And yes, of course, we sent his check back and bought the subscriptions ourselves.) And I felt suddenly grateful--for the clothes I was wearing, the food I had just eaten, the day I was about to have, full of work I love and colleagues I adore and no dust, no danger, no landmines. And for people like Mike Felker, who went without those freedoms and so many others while they served.

What about you? When was the last time you felt grateful--and how long did it last?